Replaceable heel structure



Feb. 26, 1963 c; MILETO 3,078,599

REPLACEABLE HEEL STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 23, 1962 All i 74 25 C/RO M/LETO TTORNEY INVENTOR.

United States Patent Office 7 3,078,599 Patented Feb. 26, 1953 REPLACEABLE HEEL STRUCTURE Ciro Mileto, 343 E. 115th St., New York, N.Y. Filed Aug. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 218,942 3 Claims. (CI. 36-42) The present invention relates generally to improvements in shoes and it relates more particularly to an improved replaceable heel or lift structure.

It has been found that the maximum wear in shoes occurs at the heel thereby necessitating the frequent replacement or repair of the heel. The shoe heel structure is either formed of a single material, usually leather or is provided with a heel lift delineating the bottom or wearing section of the heel structure. In womens high heel shoes the lifts are formed of leather, a synthetic plastic resin or the like and, occupying only a relatively small area, are relatively easy to replace. However, in the case of mens shoes and womens broad heel shoes, the lift section of the heel occupies a relatively large area and is permanently secured to the heel base by nails and an adhesive. As a consequence the replacement of the lift section of broad heels is a relatively difiicult and time consuming operation requiring the services of a skilled cobbler and is thus expensive. Many forms of replaceable lift structures have been proposed but these have possessed numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. They were awkward and expensive devices, difficult to apply, frequently requiring the use of special tools and otherwise leaving much to be desired. As a result, the use of replaceable lifts in broad heeled shoes has not enjoyed any commercial success.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved heel structure particularly useful in broad heeled shoes.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved replaceable lift structure for broad heeled shoes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved replaceable lift structure of the above nature characterized by its ruggedness, simplicity, ease of application and low cost.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded plan View of a heel structure embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the assembled heel taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1, with the locking bars in retracted positions;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, the locking bars being illustrated in engaged positions;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view of another form of lift structure embodying the present invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view of still another form of lift structure embodying the present invention.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a shoe heel construction comprising a heel base aifixed to said shoe and having a peripheral face and a bottom face and having formed therein a plurality of aligned wells communicating with said bottom face and a linear tubular passageway extending through said peripheral face and said aligned wells, a lift member in underlying abutment with said base bottom face and having upstanding cars registering with said wells, said ears having openings formed therein in alignment with said passageway one of said openings being internally threaded, and a locking rod registering with said ear openings and having a threaded section engaging said threaded opening.

According to a preferred form of the present heel construction a plurality of groups of longitudinally aligned wells and corresponding connecting passageways are provided, the passageways extending through the front face of the heel base. The lift member has a mounting plate superimposed and affixed to its top face, the coupling ears being integrally formed with the mounting plate, the rearmost ear of each group having its opening tapped. The locking rods are completely housed in corresponding passageways and have threaded ends engaging the respective ear tapped openings. As an alternative, where the lift is formed of a suitable material, the apertured ears may be formed integrally therewith and one of the ears of each group may engage a reinforcing tapped bushing.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly FIGURES 1 to 4, thereof, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral it) generally designates a broad heeled shoe which is provided with the improved replaceable lift heel structure assembly 11. The heel structure 10 includes a heel base member 12 and a replaceable lift member 13. The base member 12 may be formed of leather or other suitable material and is constructed and afiixed to the shoe body underface in the conventional manner. The base member 12 may be of any desired configuration, having a fiat underface and a peripheral face including a transversely extending forwardly directed section 17.

Formed in the base member underface 14 are a plurality of groups of longitudinally aligned wells 18 being ad vantageously of rectangular transverse cross-section although wells of other configuration may be employed. Furthermore, as illustrated in the drawing, three groups of wells are advantageously provided, the center group being along the heel base medial axis and being flanked by the other two transversely spaced groups which converge rearwardly. Tubular linear passageway 20 of any desired cross-section, preferably circular, extend through the base member front face 17 and through each of the wells 18 of the respective groups thereof, intersecting the longitudinal axes of the wells 18 and extending beyond the rearmost wells to points short of the base member peripheral wall 16.

The lift member 13 is of a configuration corresponding to that of the base member 12 and of any desired height and includes a lift section 26 and a mounting plate 21. The lift section 20 may be formed of any desirable material such as natural rubber, a synthetic elastomer or a suitable synthetic organic polymer such as nylon or the like. The mounting plate 21 is superimposed upon and firmly afiixed to the top face of the lift section 20 and is advantageously formed of metal. A plurality of upstanding lugs or ears 22 are afiixed to the top face of the mounting plate 21 and are spaced along the plate 21 in a pattern corresponding to that of the base member wells 18. The ears 22 may be formed integrally with the plate 21 and are of a shape complementing that of the wells 18. A bore 23 is formed in each of the ears 22 the bores in each group of ears being in axial alignment and the bore in the rearmost ear 22 of each group being tapped as at 24.

In assembled position the lift member 13 underlies the base member 12 the mounting plate 21 abutting the base member underface 14 and the ears 22 are in mating registry with the wells 13. The bores 23 and 24 are in tapped bores 24. The trailing ends of the rods 26 are transversely slotted as at 28 to provide for engagement with a tool, such as a screw driver and are preferably "fully housed" Within the passageways '19. The lift member 13 is thus firmly releasably attached to the base member 12. V

In orderto replace the lift 13 upon the wearing thereof the locking "rods are turned by means of a screw driver to disengage their threaded ends 27 from the tapped bores 24 and retract their trailing ends from'the' passageways 19 where'thevmay' be grasped and'withdrawn from the 'bores' 23 and passageways 19 to' release the lift member 13. The lift member 13 is then rem'ovedand replaced by another hit member which-is locked in position in the above manner. g y y In FIGURE 'of the drawing there is illustrated 'another ffo'r'm' oflift member which differs from that first described"p"rincipally in'that the mounting plate as such isbb'viated Specifically, the lift member 33 which'is advantageouslyformedof a synthetic organic polymer 'such' asnylon has a plurality of upstanding bars 34 integrally foirned therewith, the shape and disposition of the ears 34 corresponding to those of the wells 18" as in the case of the ears 22. The ears 34 have axially aligned bores 36 formed therein, the bore in the rearmost'ear of each group being tapped as at 37. The application of operation 'of the heel assembly 11 employing the lift member 33'is similar to that above described in connection with the lift member 13.

The liftrnernber illustratedin'Fl CiURE 6 of the'arawing'differs'froni that last described only in tliatthe bore therewith an internally threaded bu'shing39 whichis firmly affixed to the bore by having its end edges upset or beaded outwardly to engage the faces of the ear 38. In all other respects the lift member and its use are similar to those of the lift member 33.

While there has been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of--the presentinvention, it is apparent that numerous alterations;omissions and additions may be made without departing from the-spirit thereof.

I claim: y,

l. Ashoe lie'el' eonstru'c'tion"oinprising a heljbas'e atfixed'to said shoe and having a peripheral face and 'a bottom fa'ce and'liaving formed therein a plurality of groups of longitudinally aligned Wells com'rriuhicatihg with said bdtto'rnfa'ce and a plurality of lineal" tubular j'intern'ally threaded, and a locking rb'd registerin with the openings in each or said grasps or ears and" having a' threaded sct'ibfengaging' a borrespbn'ding threaaea opening.

2. The shoe" heel or 0mm 1 whe'rein'said passa eway extends through the front face of said heel base. h

3. Theshoe heel of claim 2 wherein theopenihg in "the rearmost ear of each of said rouper ears is threaded.

"References Cited the tile bf this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mizsak masts Nov; 26; 1 9 18 Sullivan". -*Nov-.-22; 1938 

1. A SHOE HEEL CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A HEEL BASE AFFIXED TO SAID SHOE AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL FACE AND A BOTTOM FACE AND HAVING FORMED THEREIN A PLURALITY OF GROUPS OF LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED WELLS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BOTTOM FACE AND A PLURALITY OF LINEAR TUBULAR PASSAGEWAYS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PERIPHERAL FACE AND RESPECTIVE GROUPS OF SAID ALIGNED WELLS, A LIFT MEMBER IN UNDERLYING ABUTMENT WITH SAID BASE BOTTOM FACE AND HAVING GROUPS OF UNSTANDING EARS REGISTERING WITH CORRESPONDING OF SAID WELLS, SAID EARS HAVING OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN IN ALIGNMENT WITH CORRESPONDING OF SAID PASSAGE- 